Reginald Dwayne Betts

Reginald Dwayne Betts is an accomplished poet, attorney, and advocate for prison reform. After being incarcerated as a teenager for car theft, he discovered the transformative power of literature while in solitary confinement, which inspired him to pursue education and writing. Betts earned his bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Yale Law School. He founded Freedom Reads, a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing libraries in prisons across the United States, aiming to provide inmates with access to books that can inspire change and foster empathy. His work has garnered recognition, including the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship.